I have just replaced my rear callipers and carriers on my octavia mk1 tdi 2008. After bleeding each wheel several times the appropriate way with no are at each wheel the pedals still travelling and spongy i have read you might need vcds to fix it does anyone local in glasgow that would be kind enough to help me. 

4 hours ago, Joe41 said:

I have just replaced my rear callipers and carriers on my octavia mk1 tdi 2008. After bleeding each wheel several times the appropriate way with no are at each wheel the pedals still travelling and spongy i have read you might need vcds to fix it does anyone local in glasgow that would be kind enough to help me. 

No. but you could try "A for Audi", which will be about half the labour rate of a main stealer.

Check your master cylinder, most have bleed nipples on them.

Bleed the master cylinder as well. While you are at it bleed the front.

I was not aware of the bleed nipples and found them with a bleeding problem.

Is the pedal, after a press or two, high and solid with the engine off. Then it sinks down low on engine start ?

The calipers are installed with the bleed nipple upwards ?   Just asking as I've known people install them crossed sides before.

 

Not sure if the rear calipers can be transposed in that way, I have been caught out by not knowing about the master cylinder bleed nipple on the MK1 Octavia.

 

@Joe41 is it really 2008 and a MK1? If so then its an ex cop car or taxi special build.

@Joe41 Despite JayOrr's implication. ex taxi mk1s from 2008 (mostly Classic trim SDI or Ambiante trim TDi) are pretty common in the West of Scotland.

I had a similar problem on my old Mk IV Golf which was basically the same underpinnings as the MK1 Octy, I must have pumped a litres or more through but still no pedal.

 

I took it to a friend who specialised in VW (very nearby thankfully as I was driving with no brakes!) and he told me that he had had to turn off the ABS to do the job!

11 hours ago, Paws4Thot said:

@Joe41 Despite JayOrr's implication. ex taxi mk1s from 2008 (mostly Classic trim SDI or Ambiante trim TDi) are pretty common in the West of Scotland.

 

No implication of rarity made, thank you for confirming that the production overlap models were for taxi companies.

11 hours ago, KiNeL said:

I had a similar problem on my old Mk IV Golf which was basically the same underpinnings as the MK1 Octy, I must have pumped a litres or more through but still no pedal.

 

I took it to a friend who specialised in VW (very nearby thankfully as I was driving with no brakes!) and he told me that he had had to turn off the ABS to do the job!

The ABS can need activating on some cars to bleed the brakes, not turning off.

Bleeding the master cylinder is important, I had almost no brakes until I bled the master cylinder. Start by bleeding master cylinder then all four wheels.

The correct way for our MK1's is to use the ABS system via VCDS to and bleed that way.

 

Be sure to bleed the master cylinder, there are TWO bleed nipples. When I had done mine, my pedal sunk to the floor until I found the 2nd bleed nipple.

I cannot see any reference to using VCDS to bleed the brakes in the Skoda workshop manuals.

If the ABS unit has been removed and drained, the valves within need actuation to bleed effectively, otherwise pressure bleeding is effective and is referred to in the Skoda manuals.

That is true, you only need to do an ABS bleed if you got air into the ABS unit.

So when you changed the rear calipers did you lose much fluid while the brake line was disconnected ?  To have any chance of air getting into the ABS wouldn't you of had to of run the master cylinder reservoir dry - did you ?

Personally I did run my reservoir dry once, not paying attention while bleeding, only noticing when air splattered out of the bleed nipple and not fluid.

That's why I said is the pedal hard high up when the engine is off, but sinks right down on engine start. A little sink is normal, an inch or so, I'm on about a big drop. That is the symptoms I had, symptoms which doing a VCDS Brake Bleed immediately eradicated.

Hi thanks for the reply’s i found out what the problem was after bleeding the 4 wheels and still getting a spongy pedal all i needed to sort it was to bleed the master cylinder and pedal great now. But not thanks to the **** that i got to do my rear calliper carriers and callipers,he never had a clue what he was doing. He was trying to just get away with bleeding the rear callipers he was outside for 4 hours and the air was getting through the master cylinder. I should have do them my self the first place.

Unless he let the reservoir run dry I can't see how air would be getting into master cylinder especially when it was the rear calipers that were changed unless the seals are failing on the master and its draiwng in air. If the brakes start getting spongy again I would be thinking of checking for leaks and perhaps changing it.

 

Alasdair